1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a relay module of a compressor used as a starting and protective apparatus and installed to a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a refrigerator is an apparatus configured to store foods fresh by having storage compartment to store foods and a cool air supplying apparatus to supply cool air to the storage compartment.
The cold air supplying apparatus includes a compressor configured to compress refrigerant to high-temperature, high-pressure vapor, a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant gas that is compressed to a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid, an expansion valve configured to expand the compressed refrigerant to low-temperature, low-pressure liquid, and an evaporator configured to evaporate the expanded refrigerant to low-temperature, low-pressure vapor, thereby supplying the storage compartment with a cool air through a cooling cycle including the compression, the condensation, the expansion and the evaporation.
The compressor, one of the elements forming the cool air supplying apparatus as such, is connected to a start relay configured to control the supply of power and to an overload protector configured to protect the compressor from being damaged by shutting off the power in a case of an overload of the compressor. The start relay and the overload protector as such may be provided as a single unit while being accommodated in a single case.
Meanwhile, a tracking, which is a leakage of electric current between two points separated by an insulating material caused by foreign substances such as dirt, carbon particles and moisture, may develop between the terminals of the start relay due to the foreign substances permeated into an inside of the case through a gap thereof, and a fire may occur as a result.